The Banquet
by kayisacat
Summary: "Yuri laughed merrily and Victor blushed, feeling the heat that radiated from both of Yuri's hands. Both had been so warm and comforting that as Victor lost himself to music, he fell in love." Victor's perspective on The Banquet when he fell head over heels for the drunken skater, Yuri Katsuki. AN: Some editing has been since the first upload, so please enjoy the updated version!
1. Chapter 1

Yuri Katsuki couldn't seem to catch his breath. 'This is really happening... right?' His breath shuddered as Victor deepened the kiss, sending a sharp spike up Yuri's spine. 'I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I'm going to die, kissing this gorgeous man. Victor is going to kill me. I can't breathe. Holy crap. Crap, crap, crap!' The 23-year-old Japanese man's brain screamed at him. In reality, his breathing was quite normal, but he felt like Victor was taking all of the air from his lungs.

"Victor!" Yuuri gasped, forcing himself to tear away. "I'm sorry!" He gasped again when he saw the hurt and confused look on his coach's face. "I just. Didn't expect. Well… you know..." he tried explaining, his words stunted.

"That I was interested in you like this?"

"Well… yes!" Yuri gasped a third time, his heart still racing and his mind still fogged from the unexpected French kiss he had just experienced. 'That just happened right? Right?!' His mind screamed at him again. "You're my idol…" he admitted, his hand placed over his heart, which was slowly returning to a normal heart rate. As he continued, his voice got quieter, softer. "I've always looked up to you. You've been my favorite skater since… forever." He let out a soft chuckle, glancing up at Victor, meeting his aqua blue eyes. He almost looked away shyly, but Yuri forced himself to look at him. He felt what he had to say was important. "Quads, doubles, singles… all your jumps were so beautiful and breath-taking. I couldn't take my eyes off of you. I never expected in a million years for you to ever notice me. Yet… I mean…! Until yesterday, I had never even officially met you! And now, well, here you are and-"

"Here we are." Victor placed a hand under the younger skater's chin, tilting his head to look into his eyes. He searched those brown orbs, looking for some sort of recognition of when they had first met. After all, if Victor closed his eyes and concentrated, he could still feel Yuri's hand on his face.

* * *

It had been when they had been dancing together. Both of them had been drinking. He had been tipsy and had been having such an amazing time-Victor recalled- that he hadn't even cared it was event that several of his most important sponsors attended. Yet here he was, dancing away with an extremely intoxicated Japanese man. Suddenly Yuri had twisted his body around mid-step and cupped Victor's face. In the same movement, he placed his other on Victor's leg, above his knee and close to his lower thigh. Yuri laughed merrily and Victor blushed, feeling the heat that radiated from both of Yuri's hands. Both had been so warm and comforting that as Victor lost himself to music, he fell in love.

Soon after, the song had ended, but Victor and Yuri drifted together again, hearing music no else could.

* * *

Much earlier, however, Victor's curiosity had been piqued first by Yuri when he spotted him by the bar. Victor himself had been taking a breather from all the socializing Yakov had been forcing him to do.

'Remember, Vitya!' He could still hear his coach's overbearing voice in his head. 'This is a formal event! A lot of people who endorse you will be there! Make a good impression and INTERACT WITH THEM FOR GOD'S SAKE.'

The Russian legend sighed. He'd had no idea there was so much work to be done off the ice as well as on it. Despite his reputation for loving the camera and readily accepting almost any type of interview, he hated schmoozing his sponsors more than anything. He wasn't sure why, but it made him feel… cheap. Victor especially hated it when certain individuals would invite him to their personal homes for parties or get-togethers. He'd even had a fair share ask him for a "personal favor" in exchange for influencing his skating career or a large sum of cash.

Of course, he had politely declined each one.

God help him.

Yet, he had done as Yakov wanted. He had schmoozed, fake-laughed, and trilled overzealously to at least two dozen big wigs for a solid two hours now. Despite the permanent smile on his face, he had grown to the point of extreme boredom and was desperate for anything exciting.

After a decent conversation with a handful of ladies, he decided he needed a break. Excusing himself, he bade them farewell and made a beeline for the bar. He ordered straight vodka. 'How very Russian of me.' He thought humorously as he took a sip. It hit the spot. 'Maybe this will help me through the rest of the night.' Just then, he noticed an attractive Asian man to his right downing liquor as if he were a fish in desperate need of water. He recognized him as a fellow competitor, but couldn't quite place his name or what nation he represented.

'Wow. What's his rush?' Victor mused to himself, as he sipped from his own glass and watched the other man put drink after drink away.

"Hard night for you, too, eh?" He asked raising his glass to the stranger.

"Eh?" was the man's timid response. Then, "Oh no… I'm just terrible at these social things. I always get so nervous."

Victor leaned closer to the man. "I know, right? I feel like cringing having all these people stare at me. I'm usually not self-conscious, but I don't like a roomful of strangers judging me either. Especially ones that help me pay rent." The man giggled (somewhat adorably, Victor noticed), and Victor took an immediate like to him. He inquired, "What's your name?"

The man turned to him for the first time, his words slurring. "Oh s-sorry. It's Y-Yuri Katsuki. What's yours-" the question seemed to die on his lips as his eyes grew large as saucers.

Victor tilted his head, his silver hair falling over his aqua blue eyes.

"Um. Uh. Wah-" The man, now identified as Yuri, sputtered. "Y-you're Victor Ni-Nikiforov… oh my god!"

Victor nonchalantly tipped his glass against Yuri's. "It's a pleasure."

Yuri blanched. "I can't believe I'm meeting you in person… seriously, you have no idea how big of a fan I am, Victor-senpai!"

'Senpai?' Victor pondered over the foreign word before he shrugged his shoulders and downed the last of his drink. He glanced at the Asian man again. With his eyes practically glowing, his cheeks flushed brightly, and his hair askew, Victor had to admit he was pretty.

Like, really pretty.

An idea formed in Victor's head and a devilish smile started to ghost over his lips. Yuri was obviously a huge fan of his (not to be a snob, but most skaters in his age division or lower were) and he could see them having some fun together.

And damn if Victor didn't need some fun.

Glancing over his shoulder to see if Yakov was around (he wasn't), Victor asked Yuri if he would like to dance.

* * *

"You're amazing." Victor breathed, completely taken aback by his companion. The man's intoxication had hit an all-time when they stepped onto their makeshift dance floor. As soon as Victor had pressed "play" on his smartphone to the music of his free skate, "Stay Close to Me", Yuri had been on fire. Victor had barely been able to keep up.

The younger skater had immediately taken lead and twirled, dipped, and lead his partner though the entire song. Some of sequences hadn't synced up with the rhythm, but Victor was still impressed it had gone so well (especially considering how drunk Yuri was). As the music ended, their hands were cupped and their foreheads pressed together. The last note ended and they came to a stop.

So they danced another song together, and then another.

"You're amazing." Victor said again, trying to catch his breath, sweat glistening on his forehead.

Yuri laughed abruptly, making Victor jump, and waved the older skater off. "Not as amazing as you, Victor!" He exclaimed brazening, making several people's heads turn.

Victor shushed him and when the younger skater had calmed down a little, he asked. "What do you mean? You were the one leading me. You're an incredible dancer. It makes me want to visit Japan (Yuri had told him what nation he was from) and see what other types of dances you have there." He winked. "You should invite me sometime."

Yuri seemed to melt before him. "H-hey!" Laughing, he slipped a hand behind the near-faint form of the man who had just seduced him. "Don't collapse on me! I would love to visit you!" Yuri looked at him, his eyes widening. Victor paused, but then he changed his tone to let him know he was serious. "I mean it, Yuri. I would love to visit you." He drew Yuri closer to him until they were chest to chest and allowed his head to rest on the other's shoulder. "In fact, I would love to talk to you more. About skating, your hobbies, what Japan is like, what Russia is like, what your favorite competitions were, what memories you like the best from each, your favorite routines, the coaches you've had."

What was he saying? Victor felt like he was rambling, barely making any sense. He had just met his man ten minutes ago and he was already taken with him. Words like "enamored" and "smitten" crossed his mind as the two held each other.

He felt Yuri's heartbeat growing faster.

It matched his own.

He drew myself from Yuri's shoulder and looked into his chocolate-colored eyes, which had a tinge of violet in this certain light. 'He is so beautiful.', the Russian thought, so he continued to stare.

"Um, Victor?"

"Yes... my sweet Yuri?" Victor couldn't help the flirting, especially after the way their bodies had been moving together.

"Can I kiss you?"

The question was almost unnecessary at this point, but it still caused Victor to gasp and quickly look around.

"Can I? Please?" Yuri asked more persistently this time. His eyes zeroed in on Victor's lips and he moved closer as if to act on his request, even before hearing Victor's response.

'God, it's tempting.' Victor leaned closer, but stopped at the last moment, reality setting in on him. He turned his head slightly and almost immediately felt the younger skater's warm lips on the corner of his mouth.

Yuri pouted. "You cheated! I want to kiss you, Victor!" Victor chuckled, despite the attention they were drawing to themselves. He noticed the man who must be Yuri's coach approaching hurriedly.

"Yuri! How much have you been drinking?!" It must be. All coaches had a certain protective aura around them when it came to their skaters and this man was no exception.

"Coach…?" Yuri squinted at him, despite still wearing his glasses.

The older man settled in next to the pair and made a grab for Yuri. "Maybe we should get you to bed- wait. I know you. You're Victor Nikiforov."

"Hello. You're Coach…" Victor thought for a moment before the name came to mind, "Celestino, right? We've met before." Victor smiled, making no move to hand over Yuri, but reaching a hand out to shake the other man's hand.

"Yeah! Glad you remembered! Yuri thinks the world of you! I loved your short program this year, by the way. Fantastic."

He shook Victor's hand as the Russian thanked him. His mind spun for a moment. 'Yuri thinks of the world of me? I wonder if he talks about me often if even his coach mentions it.'

Victor was broken out of his reverie as Celestino inquired. "Is Coach Yakov still training his students as hard as I remember?"

Victor chuckled dryly. "Harder."

"Ha!" Yuri's coach laughed, throwing his head back, his long ponytail whipping from his shoulder. "I knew it! It explains how each of you is so amazing!"

"Me too… right, Coach?" A small voice asked, beneath Victor's arm.

Both men immediately stopped their banter and took note of Yuri. His eyes had started to mist over and the once dancing fool looked ready to burst into tears.

Celestino flew into damage control. Without asking, he steered Yuri away from Victor and lead him to the side of the room. Not wanting to be rude (but furiously worried he wouldn't see Yuri in who-knows-how-long if his coach whisked him away), the Russian legend stayed within a stone's throw of the coach/student pair. After a minute or two of whispered exchange, Celestino clapped Yuri on the shoulder and gave him a quick hug before meandering away.

The older skater immediately went to his companion's side and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah." Yuri sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "My coach is just worried about me is all. He wanted me to go to bed for the night, but I told him I wanted to spend more time," he looked at Victor through a drunk, but sobering-up glaze, "with you."

Not trying to be too visibly relieved, Victor replied. "Well, it is his job to be worried about you."

"Ha, I know." Yuri chuckled softly. Then his forehead burrowed into a frown. "I just wish I had done better this year."

"What place did you get again?"

"Sixth."

Ouch. Last. "Well, how about this?" Victor scrambled for anything to make Yuri happy again. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of his teammates, Yuri Plisetsky, watching them.

Perfect. He had an idea.

"You see that young man over there?"

Yuri's eyes followed where Victor was looking and he almost immediately scowled. "Oh. That guy."

"You know Yuri?" Victor asked, surprised.

"We've met." was the only explanation that Yuri offered and Victor could only guess what it meant.

"Well…" he started, "I have a secret about Yuri if you want to hear it." Unenthusiastically, Yuri asked what it was. "Yuri hates losing… but he's not as good as dancing as you clearly are." Yuri perked up under the praise and was actively paying attention now. "I think…" Victor slide his arm around Yuri's waist, making sure his teammate was still watching them. "We should have a little more to drink, have some more fun dancing together, and then," he gently nuzzled Yuri's face (and would have paid good money for a photo of the face the other Yuri was making), "challenge him to a dance off."

It went practically perfect after that. Taking up on Victor's suggestion, Yuri drunk himself silly once more and done the following in order:

1) Charmed a few fellow skaters to dance with them.

2) Beaten the other Yuri so badly on the dance floor, Victor's teammate had vowed eternal vengeance on them both.

3) Lost his pants.

4) Begged Victor to be his coach while grinding on him half-naked. Victor had needed to excuse himself to regain his composure.

5) Lost his shirt.

6) Pole-danced with Christophe Giacometti, a fellow skater, who had brought his own pole (no one was surprised, including the sponsors).

7) Had the best damn night that he was would remember for ages.

At least, Victor assumed Yuri would remember. Surely, his Yuri would remember this night.

Right?

'Of course he will.' Victor assured himself, finally giving in and giving Yuri a passionate kiss before leading him back to his coach, who had nearly passed out at the bar.

"Um… Coach Celestino?

"Ughhh…"

"Celestino!" Victor said again, louder, shaking Yuri's coach by the shoulders.

"Wha…? Oh, Victor." Celestino yawned. "I need to find Yuri- oh never mind. You brought him. Where are his clothes- oh thanks. I'll take those. How are you feeling, Yuri?"

"Victor and I had the best time! I'm going to marry him someday!"

"If they ever legalize it in either of your countries, I'm sure you will." Celestino replied, already sobering up and helping force Yuri into his shirt and pants with Victor's help. "We should go to our room now, Yuri. We have to fly back tomorrow, remember?"

"And see Phichit-kun?!" Both men winced as Yuri practically shouted in both their ears.

Celestino smiled fondly at Yuri and Victor shared that warmth. "Yes, we'll see Phichit and you can tell him all about Victor and having fun, okay?"

"Okay." Yuri smiled and allowed the last button to be pushed back into place on his shirt. Yuri turned to Victor. "Goodbye, Victor. I'll see you in Japan!" Without warning, he wrapped his arms around Victor's neck and gave him the sloppiest kiss he had ever had.

When Victor's head cleared, Yuri was gone.

* * *

Back in the present, Victor sighed and let Yuri's head fall away.

"Victor…?" Yuri asked, worriedly. "I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"

How could Yuri tease him like this? He had to remember that night so why was he playing so hard to get? Victor fell in love with him and flew halfway around to world to be with him and coach him! 'Yet…' Victor clenched his fist into his inn robes where Yuri couldn't see it. 'It's wrong of me to pressure him. He was drunk and maybe was overzealous because of it. But he is happy I'm here. Isn't he?'

Victor asked him just that.

"Of course, I am!" The younger man gasped. "I am so happy you're here, Victor! Please don't think I'm not!" Before he lost his nerve, Yuri allowed himself to wrap his arms around Victor's shoulders. He felt himself blushing at the close contact, but he forced himself not to loosen his grip. "I am so happy you're here. So, so happy." He said above a whisper. If he wasn't careful, Yuri felt he might cry. "Please stay, Victor. Please be my coach."

Well, that cinched it then. Victor smiled to himself and returned the hug, settling into Yuri and allowing himself to be calmed. Yuri was just… shy. 'It is sweet.' He acknowledged silently. 'So very, very sweet and adorable.' He gazed at the ceiling and thought, 'I'll just have to remind him of that passion, that connection we shared.' He hugged him a little tighter. 'And now I have plenty of time to do it.'

* * *

 **To be continued~**

* * *

 **EDIT and Author's Note:**

 **Hello! I decided to take a look at my first updated work and saw quite a few glaring errors in it. I sat down with my friend, missyukidear, and she was kind enough to help me with some changes. Hope everyone enjoys the updated version!**

 **Also, please feel free to leave me a review. Constructive criticism is always appreciated and I love hearing from my readers.**

 **-kayisacat**


	2. Chapter 2

A week before that sweet embrace in Hasetsu, Victor Nikiforov had made the decision of a lifetime: he was packing his bags and going to Japan. For months he had pined after Yuri Katsuki- the skater he had unwittingly fallen in love with- and wondered why he hadn't contacted him. Victor felt heartbroken. They had shared such a bond; he had thought for sure he would have heard from him eventually. No, scratch the "eventually". The smitten skater had thought the brazen ballerino would waste no time in tracking him down. Victor dreamed of the phone call he would receive and then talking for hours, Yuri's voice lulling him into his own kind of Eden.

Yet, for all his hopes, he received nothing. That is, until Victor saw Yuri's skating tribute to him. He had watched the video over and over again to convince himself it was real. No wonder Yuri hadn't contacted him. He must of spent months perfecting Victor's free program! It was no easy feat, and Victor swore he could feel Yuri's love for him though the screen. To Victor, it was most romantic gesture anyone had ever done for him. He made the decision that night to take Yuri up on his offer and go see him in Hasetsu, Japan.

It was three days ago that he had started traveling by plane. At the time, Victor was so off his rocker with gleel that if someone commented on how stupid he looked with that smile plastered on his face, he would have responded, giddily: "Oh yes, stupid in love. Thank you for noticing!" He would have probably then given the nay-sayer a hug. Yakov Georgeman, his coach, had received something similar when he screamed at Victor for wrecking his career over "a piece of drunken Japanese tail!". A kiss on the cheek was Victor's response before he flew off. Yakov could just imagine Victor waving to him from the window with that idiotic heart-shaped smile on his lips. Victor's couch had needed more than a few drinks that evening before he could deal with the enigma that was his star pupil.

Meanwhile, said pupil was boarding his third and final plane. He only had to travel from Tokyo to Hasetsu now. A few hours and finally he would be with- "Yuri." Victor said out loud, tasting the name on his lips. "Soon, my love. I'll finally be by your side. And that is where I will stay."

Victor hadn't planned on sleeping during this flight. He wanted to record every moment of it until he landed. Every second counted; from the moment he sat down in his seat to the moment he walked into Yuri's hometown. Victor knew it was silly, but he wanted to be romantic and recap every second to Yuri after they melted into each other's arms.

Victor was a complete romantic, if not a complete sap. A wrench had been thrown into his plan, however. He had been barely slept a wink in his haste getting ready for this trip. There had been so much to do! It was starting to wear on him. Victor couldn't stop himself from hunkering down into his seat and snuggling into the warmth of his jacket. The chair material molded perfectly into his back, as if it were made for him. Victor was so damn comfortable he didn't have the energy to resist the sleep he knew was coming. As his eyelids grew heavy, he imagined Yuri skating. The slim silhouette of Yuri twisting, turning, and twirling on the ice was the last picture in Victor's mind before he nodded his head once, twice, and passed out.

As he flew over fields of rice anda green country side, Victor dreamed of dancing with Yuri for the first time.

* * *

Victor found himself leading a happily intoxicated Japanese man to the middle of a room filled with people. "You seem like someone who enjoys dancing. Is that true, Yuri?"

"Waaaah! I love dancing, especially with you, Victor-senpai!"

Victor chuckled, seeing how avidly bright and wide those brown eyes were. "But Yuri! You haven't even danced with me yet," he teased. "How do you know we won't make complete fools of ourselves?"

Yuri paused and looked downright aghast. He huffed, wrinkled his nose, and grasped Victor's hand, startling him. He stood to his full height and gazed upward into the Russian's surprised eyes. "I, Yuri Katsuki, would NEVER steer a partner wrong during a dance. Victor, you have my word. I have been trained in classical, Danish, and Russian ballet by the most skilled teacher in all of Hasetsu. She has also taught me classical dances and the tango and the waltz and the salsa. She is amazing and I am amazing. And you, Victor," Yuri tightened his grip, "will be swayed by my skills and I'm sure will not feel doubtful anymore! Oh, and probably fall in love with me." He finished with a flourish, ending his dramatic speech. He hiccupped and Victor could smell the liquor on his breathe. Yuri's smirk widened, however; he snaked his other hand around Victor's waist and drew them together, almost suggestively.

Well then.

"I…" Victor started. That was all he managed to say though before when Yuri gazed up at him hungrily. He demanded, "Play 'Stay Close to Me'. I know I can draw more of a performance out of you, Victor."

Victor was fairly certain his mouth had gone dry. The Russian swallowed thickly, intimidated by those dark eyes, despite his height and age advantage. However, he regained himself enough to ask one question. "One thing first. What does 'senpai' mean? I've been curious ever since you called me that."

Yuri rolled his eyes, impatient. "It means something like 'someone more skilled than you' or 'upperclassman'. C'mon, Victooor." He whined, his fingers playing against the fabric of Victor's jacket. "Let's dance."

Seeing his desperation, Victor tried to regain control once more. He lifted his arm, letting his hand brush past Yuri's shoulder. He then gently let it rest against the back of his head. Victor was now staring directly into the other man's eyes, knowing full well the effect this could have on him. He enraptured so many others before with his smoldering blue gaze. "Yuri, you are sounding so desperate for me." Victor purred, letting his Russian accent spread like icing on his vowels. "Could it be you've always dreamed of impressing me with these skills of yours?"

Yuri pouted and huffed. "You're teasing me." However- despite his confident tone- Victor could see a blush start to pink the other man's cheeks and he felt his confidence boost.

"Of course I am." He retorted. God, this was fun. This skater he had stumbled upon proved to be more entertaining by the minute.

"Well, you shouldn't."

"Oh? And why is that, my sweet little drunk?"

"Because, I-" Yuri swayed for a second and Victor instinctively steadied him. "-I am a brilliant dancer if you would let me show you!" He whined. "Pleeeease? I promise you will be blown-" here he grabbed Victor's shoulder and made a dramatic hand sweep through the air, "-away!"

A few women close to them giggled at Yuri's antics. "C'mon, Victor!" One of them called out, a little tipsy herself. "Dance with him! You're teasing him too much, poor dear." The other two women nodded approvingly, raising their glasses to Yuri- the target of Victor's teasing.

Yuri huffed in agreement and the older skater finally decided to go easy on him. "Alright, since we officially have an audience we can't let them down." A light cheer from the women sounded and a few other people gathered, forming a loose semi-circle around the duo. At that moment, a waiter walked past with a tray of wine, and Victor gracefully dispatched a glass from its fellows. He gave a long sip from it (he noticed Yuri dreamily staring at him as he drank) before setting it down on a nearby chair. This was turning out to be a more enjoyable evening then he had bargained for. He gave his world famous smile to the man in his grasp; and Yuri seemed to happily swell under Victor's notice.

The older skater was about to pull his partner back to him, but the younger skater seemed to have other ideas when he grabbed Victor's hand. Tugging him along, he told him to play the music to his free program again. Victor couldn't help but grin as he pulled out his smartphone obediently. After he was queued up, Yuri drew them together and stated they would start with a waltz.

The Russian legend complied. He had swayed the hearts of so many, but could never be swayed himself. Yet, he felt his heart give the smallest of leaps when Yuri closed his eyes and Victor could tell he had immediately lost himself in Taku Maksushiba's piece, "Stay Close to Me".

As they began to sway together, Victor's attitude shifted. He was awed at Yuri's ability to tell a story with the simplest of movements. His steps (though a little sloppy) had so much life behind them; Victor felt like he was just along for the ride. He could clearly see now Yuri hadn't been lying. He could definitely dance. "By all means, please,' he whispered, unsure if Yuri could even hear him from where he was now. "Take the lead."

* * *

However, days after arriving in Hasetsu, Victor was beyond baffled. Their fated reunion- something that he had been so excited for- had gone awry the moment he had stepped off the plane.

First of all, he had no idea where he was. He was eventually able to figure it out, but asking for directions in Japanese was really hard. Despite Victor having learned Japanese (he had spent all his free time doing this instead of practicing for the next season), he still wasn't the best at it. He had asked a man for directions at the airport and the man had pointed to a cafe ten feet away from them. It had taken a few awkward minutes to let the local know he wanted to go the Katsuki onsen, not that he was asking for a place for a hot cup of tea. He had thought simply stating he wanted "ゆ" (pronounced "yu") or "hot water" would be sufficient. It, apparently, was not.

On the list of things that went wrong next were the following: He received many whispers and stares as he left the building. Later he learned this was due to his foreign appearance, but it still threw him off guard (Victor had worried they had noticed his thinning hairline, one of his insecurities). After he hailed a taxi, he panicked because he thought he had left his wallet on the plane (he hadn't). Next, Makkachin ended up nearly having an accident in the taxi driver's backseat. He would have if Victor hadn't immediately opened the door when the vehicle stopped. Then Makkachin did end up leaving a huge mess right at the doorstep of his potential boyfriend's parent's home. Finally, Victor had forgotten to pay the taxi driver in his haste to free his beloved pet. The man had scolded Victor very harshly in a type of dialect he couldn't even understood. As the man drove off, he was halfway certain he had demanded twice of what Victor owed him.

Needless to say, after all that, he was EXHAUSTED. He had hastily checked in, chucked all of his clothing in the nearest clothing basket, and promptly sank into the onsen. The hot water felt so good he was nearly convinced he had died and gone to heaven. Victor's paradise on earth continued, unabated, when the very source of all of his effort burst through the entryway. "Victor?" Yuri gasped. "What are you doing here?"

'Oh my god. There he is!' Victor thought to himself as he drank in Yuri's profile. He stood up in a grand flourish, his knees screaming at him in protest. "Yuri!" He exclaimed, his arm extending to the gaping Japanese man. "Starting today, I'm your coach. You're going to make it to the Grand Prix Final. And you're going to win." He charmingly winked.

Yuri blanched. "Whaaaaaat?!"

Okay then. Not the reaction he was hoping for. He had expected Yuri to be surprised at first (he had showed up completely unannounced), but for that go away in literally minutes of him arriving. He had imagined Yuri walking up to him, saying something along the lines of: "I knew you would come.", and then Victor would have melted into his arms. He expected something cheesy like that anyway. What he received instead was an overweight, awestruck fanboy who was bumbling over himself at his mere presence. So Victor had tried calming the other figure skater, but Yuri had fallen flat on his butt. He scooted away at breakneck speed, blushing from ear to ear. "Wh-why?" Yuri gasped. He gazed up at Victor, who was standing over him, in a mixture of horror and wonder.

"B-because, Yuri. I saw your tribute to me." Really? He had to explain this? "I was inspired. By you."

"By me?" Yuri squeaked, looking absolutely dazed. Despite the circumstances, the dirty part of Victor's mind thought it was an entirely too charming look on the younger man. Something he would love to see more often, with Victor over him- 'No, NO. FOCUS.' He scolded himself.

"More importantly, Victor…"

"Oh, yes?!" Victor snapped to attention, broken out of his haze.

"Why are you still naked?!"

'Well, I saw your basically everything at the banquet, so it seemed appropriate.' was what Victor wanted to say. He stooped to Yuri's level. "This is an onsen, Yuri. People get naked here all the time. I thought you would be aware of that, living here most of your life." He teased and chuckled. So his Yuri Katsuki was more conservative outside of being plastered. Victor was a bit disappointed in this newfound knowledge, but it was good to know. "Come and join me, my brilliant skater." He stood up, turning Yuri beet red. "We have much to discuss."

So Yuri had undressed and joined him. Victor had explained how he had felt no inspiration this season, how he had wondered where to go next with his career, and then how he had seen Yuri's tribute and made his rash decision.

Yuri seemed floored that Victor was giving him the time of day, let alone he had flown from Russia to be where he was sitting now. "I just don't understand. Why me, Victor? There are plenty of more talented skaters out there than me." His eyes turned downcast and he chuckled dryly. "I even had the junior champion tell me I should retire. Can you believe that, Victor? I'm just the boring and untalented Yuri Katsuki."

"That isn't true." Yuri jumped at the steely tone of Victor's voice. "You are amazing, Yuri, how can you not see that?!"

"Well, I-I messed up so badly last year."

"It happens."

"Not to professionals like us!" Yuri suddenly shrieked, unable to control himself, his emotions of shame blossoming into fruition. "I'm just a failure. I-" Yuri choked, suddenly horrified he was self-destructing in front of his idol, a man who he had wanted to meet for years. Now here was his chance and he was ruining it, like he ruined his skating career.

There was a long silence before Victor broke it. He softly said, "Yuri. Look at me." Shakily, Yuri did as he was told. "Do you admire me, Yuri?" Yuri shook as he nodded once. "Well, since you're my fan, you know once I set my mind to something I don't have the habit of backing down. I'm not giving up on you. I know I can draw a performance out of you so awe-inspiring that you will never doubt yourself again." He paused, and took Yuri's hands. He heard the other man's breath hitch. "Please, trust me. Do you think I would ever lie to the one that gave me, Victor Nikiforov, his inspiration back?"

"...No."

"No. Of course not."

"But Victor, I don't want to disappoint you."

"Someone who skates with as much charisma as you do could never disappoint me. You tell stories when you skate. Do you know that? Your footwork is amazing and I loved your jumps. They were flawless."

The Japanese skater finally allowed himself to smile and then melt under the praise. "You really think I'm good? Coming from you, Victor, that means- Well, you have no idea how much that means to me."

"I have a fairly good idea." Victor smiled back, thinking back to how much Yuri proclaimed he loved Victor on that makeshift dancefloor. He was proud he had managed to wipe most of the other skater's doubts away, for now. "Now then!" He exclaimed, suddenly. "How about you get your guest something to eat?!"

* * *

Yuri and Victor had spent that evening together, talking about their lives and what Victor had in store for Yuri's training. Victor found himself falling deeper into love as Yuri told him of his childhood, his career, his family, and his friends (he especially seemed to care for two people named Yuuko-chan and Phichit-kun). He even told how Victor had originally inspired him to do professional figure skating. Yuri had looked so adorable when admitting this, Victor decided he would kiss him tomorrow when the moment felt right.

Unfortunately for Victor, the kiss was nothing like the fairy tale he wanted it to be. He shouldn't have kissed him passionately at Ice Castle before knowing if Yuri actually wanted to KISS HIM BACK. What should have been a turning point of their relationship turned out to be a huge mistake.

At the time, Victor thought it would be a romantic gesture at an ice rink, a place he and Yuri both loved. He cringed thinking of how Yuri had pushed him away and tried explaining how he loved Victor, but the older man was pushing his boundaries. He just wanted Victor as a coach, for the time being.

To put it plainly, he had fucked up royally. If Victor could have crawled into a hole and died, he would have.

Of course, he respected Yuri's wish, but he felt his own heart break. He had learned an entirely new language, put a pause on his own skating career, and flown halfway around the world to be with him! He was THE Victor Nikiforov, for God's sake! Anyone would be thrilled to be in a relationship with him! Victor quelled those selfish thoughts as best he could though. He knew he had a big ego, but it wouldn't put any more of a distance between him and Yuri.

Instead, he tried learning more about him. One of the first things he found was that his potential boyfriend had terrible anxiety. The main reason he had flubbed last year's previous Grand Prix was because of it. Their family pet, Victor, had also passed away during that stressful time. Victor felt a little odd that a dog had been named after him, but he chose to see it as sweet, instead of weird.

"Vic-chan sounded a lot like Makkachin." Victor commented, about a week after he had moved in. Yuri had been reminiscing some stories to Victor when he had asked about Yuri's old pet. They were sitting in the main living area eating an early breakfast and Makkachin had his head resting on Yuri's lap.

"Yeah." Yuri had smiled back, before pausing to pet the dog's head. His hand was immediately met by Makkachin's tongue. Yuri laughed and wiped his hand against the side of his pants.

"Sorry about that!"

"It's alright. He's such a cutie. Aren't you, boy? Aren't you?" Makkachin's doggy eyes seemed to light up under the praise and his tongue went to lick Yuri's face. "M-Makkachin!" Yuri laughed, fighting to keep the dog from knocking his glasses off his face. Victor watched with silent humor as Yuri abandoned his breakfast (which he hadn't cared for anyway with his strict low-calorie diet), set his glasses on the table, and rolled on the floor with the sixty-pound dog. Yuri and Makkachin were a tangle of fur and skin and it was no secret that the two had immediately bonded. It made Victor's heart swell to see the two individuals he loved most together like this.

"God, I love you." Victor whispered, hoping Yuri wouldn't hear him. His worry was unprecedented as Yuri's and Makkachin's laughs and barks drowned out anything Victor could have said.

He let the two of them play for awhile before announcing they should clean up. "Sure!" Yuri replied. Chuckling, he untangled himself from Makkachin and grabbed both his and Victor's plates. Victor followed him into the kitchen and talked with Yuri as he cleaned their dishes.

"Y'know, Makkachin is a pretty friendly dog, but you're the only person he's immediately bonded to like that."

"Really?"

"Yes. It must be because I told him all about you while I was packing to come here."

Yuri turned back to the sink, blushing. "O-oh?"

Victor smiled easily at him, but didn't tease Yuri as much as he would have liked. "Yeah. I just told him, while showing him your picture, 'Makka. This is Yuri. He's going to be your other new best friend. I'm sure you two will have loads of fun together! Your papa adores him, so make sure you give loads of kisses when you first meet!'"

Yuri finished rinsing their plates and replied, "Well, he certainly did that. Did you know he knocked me to the floor as soon he saw me?"

Victor wasn't surprised. Makka did that to him sometimes too if he hadn't seen his master in awhile. "I can see that happening."

"Well, anyway, coach." Yuri was done cleaning and he turned to Victor. "What is on my training schedule for today? I know you said it would be a little different."

"Yes, it will be. You're coming to the ice rink with me today."

"But I thought you said-"

"I said you wouldn't be practicing on the ice until you lost your extra weight." Victor interrupted. "You're still running there and back. That will be your workout for the for the day. Something easy for your day off, so to speak."

"So what will I be doing at Ice Castle, if not skating?" Yuri inquired, still confused.

"Nothing, except watching. I'll be performing a few routines for you."

Yuri gasped and then yelped. "What? Really?!" Yuri was, if not anything else, a huge Victor Nikiforov fan.

"Yes, really. Consider it a treat from working so hard this past week. It's your own personal viewing to Victor! On Ice."

Yuri cocked his head at him, amused. "Victor! On Ice?"

Victor grinned back, some of his silver locks falling onto his left eyes. He brushed it aside. "Call it whatever you want. I thought it sounded good. Let's go!" Victor walked from the kitchen and Yuri trailed behind him until they were at the front entrance. "Makkachin will be your running partner as usual." Both of them laced up their training shoes, Victor grabbed Makkachin's leash, and they were gone.

The next few hours Victor and Yuri spent talking between each of Victor's routines. Yuri felt all of this was incredibly surreal. Here he was, in his hometown ice rink, watching his idol perform some of his favorite routines, just for him. Yuri could have died happy, but he didn't want to see a single moment of Victor's skating or the man who was slowly transforming Yuri's life.

* * *

 **AN: Hello, all!**

 **First off, I'd like to thank those who are reading this after you either faved or followed this story. You have no idea how much it means to have other fans follow my work. I poured a lot of time and love into this chapter and I hope you all like it.**

 **Second, thanks again to missmadamyuki for editing for me once more. You are my writing senpai and I'm so thankful you take the time to help me!**

 **I tried to add a bit more humor to this chapter so if I made you laugh, I'm glad! I also did a bit research on "Stay Close to Me", onsens, and international traveling. If I was off on anything, please let me know! And as always, please leave me a review! I love hearing from you guys more than anything! 3**

 **-kayisacat**


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